‘I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas’ Blue

TV/Sherlock

Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, the special episode scheduled for New Year’s Day on BBC1 (9.00pm) is getting another outing, the following night (Saturday 2 January) on BBC3 at 9.10pm.

And for the first time ever, it’s also being shown simultaneously (with BBC1) in the Republic of Ireland, on RTÉ2. While Sherlock episodes have aired on RTÉ2 before, they’ve always been well behind the original BBC screenings.

For those who can’t get enough Sherlock, Alibi is planning yet another repeat run of series 1, starting on Wednesday 6 January at 9.00pm (Also Thursday 7 January at 8.00pm).

If you want to watch Sherlock on the really big screen on New Year’s Day, the list of cinemas showing it across the UK/Ireland (including access to book online) is here. The only NI venue is Odeon Victoria Square (A direct booking link has been included). Cinema screenings will include extra content.

TV/The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Episodes of the first Granada Sherlock Holmes productions, starring Jeremy Brett and David Burke, are scattered throughout the ITV3 schedule during the week commencing 2 January, including A Scandal in Bohemia on Friday 8 January at 7.55pm. It’s part of a run of all 13 episodes from series 1 and 2.

TV/And there’s more

For early birds, TCM has Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) on Thursday 7 January at 9.35am. Sherlock Holmes (2009) is included in Sky Crime Thriller’s line up on Friday 8 January; it’s at 12 noon and again at 8.00pm.

Our “Handy Guide” for the week just started (26 December) can be found here.

Radio/Listen to this!

My initial disappointment that BBC Radio had overlooked SH in their Xmas scheduling was quickly forgotten when I realised , virtually at the last moment (see Bulletin 275), that Radio4 Extra was broadcasting a 1947 US radio adaptation of The Adventure of the Copper Beeches on Christmas Eve. In case you missed the show, which stars John Stanley, it’s now available on the iPlayer.  

And things got even better when I discovered Radio 4 Extra is broadcasting The Devil’s Foot during the first week of the New Year. The story, spread over two half-hour episodes, is read by James Nickerson. Part 1 is scheduled for Thursday 7 January at 6.00am and 8.00pm (also 1.00am the following morning); Part 2 is the following day (Friday 8 January) at the same times. It’s not on their online schedule yet so I can’t provide a link.

Radio Times free DVD

Radio Times is giving away a free DVD of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. To get it you have to send £2.95 to cover the p&p. RT also has an offer on the Sherlock Holmes and Basil Rathbone Collection, a 4-DVD set for £9.95. The free DVD will be thrown in if you order the set, but you will still need to pay the p&p. This seems to be a good deal for the single DVD but is it the best possible deal for the Collection? Check it out here!

You’ll find details of the above offers in the Radio Times for 2-8 January 2016, an issue which includes a review of the free film by Barry Norman. The film critic says it’s “Unmissable Sherlock.” Is this really the best Hound ever? You tell me!